Bedrooms
by GreenGrapes86
Summary: One shot taking place after the events of Civil War but everyone is cool again. PTSD is a tricky thing. While therapy is the best treatment, many of the Avengers were reluctant to talk. In a search for an alternative, the Shield appointed therapist suggested that the team redo their bedrooms in the tower to be more personal, to become a place of comfort, and less like a hotel.


PTSD is a tricky thing. While therapy is the best treatment, many of the Avengers were reluctant to talk. In a search for an alternative, the Shield appointed therapist suggested that the team redo their bedrooms in the tower to be more personal, to become a place of comfort, and less like a hotel. Here is what they did:

Natasha:

Her bedroom was simple yet delicate. She had placed white lace everywhere she could on her dark mahogany furniture. Her comforter, her drapes, a runner on her dresser, all white against the deep reddish brown. Above the dresser was a big mirror, perfect for doing her makeup and hair, for going undercover or just for fun. On the opposite wall, her large closet door was covered in drawings from Clint and Laura's children, addressed to "Auntie Nat." Throughout the room on every surface, she had various sets of Russian nesting dolls. All open, each size arranged artfully in lines. She often kept the smallest ones from each set on her bedside table. The dolls reminded her of what it was like to be a spy, to have to keep your true self hidden from the world. She liked having the smallest ones, her true self, close to her. They were often the last thing she looked at before sleeping, and the first things she saw when she woke up. They reminded her that deep down she had a heart, a sliver of innocence, and a hope for the future.

Bruce:

Bruce's room was messy. The bed was almost always unmade. He had books and papers with diagrams and figures all strewn across every surface, including the floor. There was a large bookshelf full of books, journals, and artifacts he had collected throughout his travels in Asia. In the corner of his room, there was a rug, a small lava fountain, and some pillows, which he used for daily meditation. He tried to surround himself with colorful things, to combat the constant darkness he felt inside.

Clint:

Clint didn't often stay in the tower, but he had a room nonetheless. It was large, and mostly empty save for a bed, a wall of display hooks to hold his bows, and a table with a photograph of Laura and his kids, which he only displayed when he was staying there. There was a ladder leading up to a hammock attached to the ceiling where he could look out of the huge windows overlooking the New York City skyline. He often slept up there, staring into the sky, imagining himself flying over the city, where he could be alone and wouldn't have to worry about causing anyone pain.

Steve:

Steve's walls were covered with posters and photographs of various landmarks in the city. He had a bookshelf full of art supplies and several vintage edition novels. There were a few 1940's style model motorcycles and two photographs on his dresser, one of Peggy and Sharon, and one of all the Avengers. He had a large CD player in the corner where he could play music at night if he had trouble sleeping. In his bedside table were two other photographs that he would look at if he had had a particularly rough day. He kept them hidden in the drawer because he didn't want them to upset Tony or Bucky. The photos had been kept at the museum, in the Captain American exhibit, and Steve had felt really guilty about asking to keep them. The museum director however, was more than happy to give them to him. It was his exhibit after all. The photos were black and white, and ratted at the edges, so Steve would always handle them gingerly. The therapist would probably say that it was counterproductive to his healing process to look at them, since they were attached to as many negative emotions as positive ones. But looking at those photos, one of pre-serum Steve with Howard Stark and a young Peggy, and one of the Howling Commandos on their first day as a team, reminded Steve of why he does what he does. His job is to help others, to lead the team, and take care of his country. He's doing it for the little guys, the vulnerable ones who can't help themselves. He needs this reminder to bring him down from all of the guilt and anxiety.

Bucky:

Bucky is the newest resident in the tower. He was surprised when he was invited, convinced that Tony still hated him. He didn't have any belongings aside from a few articles of clothing he had recently bought. It held a bed, with a dresser and one bookshelf. The bookshelf held a few vintage books he had borrowed from Steve, and a few of Steve's drawings that he had secretly stolen from his best friend's room. On the wall opposite the closet was an electric fireplace. It gave off a small amount of heat, but it was comforting since Bucky often kept his room cold. Above the fireplace was one photograph of the Avengers and one of his old neighborhood that Steve had given him. Bucky noticed on his tour of the tower that his room was the only one with a fireplace. When Bucky asked why, Tony shrugged at him and said, on his way out the door, "Because fire melts ice". Bucky smiled at that thought. Maybe Tony doesn't hate him. Maybe he could begin to heal here.

Tony:

Tony had not made any changes to his bedroom or any of the communal rooms. He was more than happy with the way the rooms looked, since he designed them in the first place. He did add a few more photographs in the large living room, of the newest members of the team. Watching his friends, even Bucky, made him feel at peace. That's the kind of therapy Tony needed. He needed his friends around him, needed them to feel welcomed and safe in his home. He needed to keep them safe, and keeping them close was the way to do it. He didn't know what he would do without them. Being alone was scarier than any villain they could possibly face.


End file.
